Bad Things Come In Twos
by Censorship is a Cancer
Summary: Full summary inside.R/R. Make it good, please.
1. Introduction

A/N: I know I've been coming up with a few new stories, so I decided I wouldn't blow my streak. In this plot for Pirates, two young sisters, Helena and Annabelle-Lee Gotha pose as boys to avoid rape after they find their mother and father dead in their own home, work of the invasion of the crew of the Pearl. They demand to speak with the captain and find themselves imprisoned on the Black Pearl after lying and telling Barbossa that they know the whereabouts of Jack Sparrow and the map to the Fountain of Youth. After a series of trials as "boys", they wind up accompanying Jack Sparrow and Barbossa's crew on their journey to the Fountain of Youth. That's as full a summary as you're going to get. Yes, there is going to be romance stirring between Annabelle and Jack and maybe a little romance between Helena and another lad aboard the Pearl. The first few chapters will be establishing characters, but don't fret, the heat will come soon enough. Along with a lot of confusion. Enjoy! XD!

* * *

_The immortality she gave  
We borrowed at her Grave --  
For just one Plaudit famishing,  
The Might of Human love --  


* * *

_

_**Once Upon a Dream.  


* * *

**_

"I'll be back by nightfall, Anna! I promise you! If mother asks, tell her nothing. You're brilliant, Anna, you'll come up with something clever." Came the small voice of one Helena Lenore Gotha, a vivacious, high-spirited and fiery young lass of nineteen sweet Augusts. A voice that reached only the wondrous, loving and protective ears of her sister, Annabelle-Lee Margarette Gotha. Anna nodded fervently in the direction of her sister, knowing that Helena would be in safe hands and trusting that the young and handsome Isaiah MacLeod would keep her protected and loved as she never could.

"You be careful, Helena. You know what father would think of you and Isaiah!" She hissed back, receiving nothing more than a peck on the cheek from her sister. Her heart fluttered for Helena, knowing just how passionate she was about seeing this boy. Isaiah was a good man, a sweet man and soon to follow in his father's steps by joining the Royal Navy and becoming a soldier. He would travel the seas and he had promised to take Helena with him, even if he had to disguise her as a boy. Annabelle-Lee found the whole idea silly and proposterous, but Helena adored him for it. As a result, he had successfully won Anna's trust in him. "Be safe, sister!"

"I will! I promise I'll be back for the ball tonight!" She replied, watching Anna offer an affectionate smile before she climbed down the drain pipe and disappeared into the forest behind their large manor. Annabelle-Lee sighed and vanished into her room, glancing around the vast chamber solemnly. A day without her sister was always meant to be a dreary one, though she didn't have the heart, nor the bravery to follow suit.

"Anna! Anna, darling!" Came the darling coo of her mother from the other side of the door. Annabelle-Lee fixed her dress and tossed a few chocolate tresses from her eyes, preparing herself for her performance and her lie. She would play the good sister and cover for Helena. Let the little one have her adventures. Annabelle-Lee was much too scared to have any of her own. "You better have enough fun for the both of us, Helena." She murmured under her breath before she put on a brave exterior and confidently opened the door, facing her mother with a cheery smile.

* * *

Isaiah had been working on shingling the roof of his home. His raven locks falling into his eyes. In frustration, he pushed them out of his face and dragged the back of his hand over his brow, glancing around a moment before returning to his work. However, a loud beckoning of his presence caused him to smash the hammer directly through the roof.

"Isaiah? Is everything alright?" Came the concerned voice of his mother. The boy chuckled under his breath once he caught sight of the woman who presented herself every night in his dreams: Helena. He cleared his throat and swiftly descended the ladder from the roof to the ground, almost hopping off halfway in order to wrap his arms around her slender frame. "Isaiah? Are you still out there?" Sounded his mother's voice once more. She had opened the rickety door by this time, standing on the small porch with a pot in her hand and a filthy rag in the other.

"Yes, mother, everything is perfectly fine. Helena!" He called out, waving to her. The vision in brown hair and blue eyes immediately latched herself onto Isaiah, holding him in a sweet hug for as long as possible before they parted. "What are you doing here, lass?" Came his thick, Irish brogue. "Ye shouldn't be here in broad daylight. Ya want your father to really know that you're sneaking out to see me?" He said, hurrying the wee one inside, who didn't seem to be at all panicked.

"I couldn't wait. I wanted to ask you something important. I forgot that tonight was the ball. I'm allowed, in fact... I'm almost pressed to bring someone with me." She paused, glancing over to Isaiah's mother, who seemed to be enjoying herself while evesdropping at his door. "Could we... go somewhere private?" She asked him. Isaiah seemed to smile and nod, taking her hand and tugging her from his home, heading in the direction of the harbor.

Once they had ventured underneath the docks and began tossing the rocks out to sea, Helena seemed to forget what she had been about to ask him in his hut. That was, until Isaiah had so sweetly reminded her.

"What did you want to ask me, lass?" He inquired, quirking a curious brow and skipping another rock out into the water. The sun was beginning to go down, but they still had some time. He noticed Helena hesitating a moment, though he refused to turn to her. He needed to keep his cool as best he could in situations like these.

"Well, there's this ball..." she drawled. After a moment, she rolled her eyes, growing impatient, even with herself. "I need a date. I want you to come with me." This certainly caught him off guard, for the moment he whipped around in astonishment, Helena had to duck in fright of being accidentally hit by a rock.

"What?! Helena, no, lass. I--I can't! I don't... I wouldn't have anythin' to wear to somethin' like that! No... no, if you're gonna go with someone, yah need to go with someone of your own class. Mine doesn't belong there." He said rather sadly, causing Helena's heart to drop into her feet. She shook her head, not wanting to believe that she couldn't be with him. "Helena..." he began, dropping to his knees before her on the sand whilst she drew her knees to her chest. "Ye know how I feel about yah. But I don't think that this is the best time to say that we're together. Wouldn't ye prefer it if I were a soldier at the least?" He asked. Helena shook her head.

"You won't take me with you on your adventures, Isaiah, it would never work. I can't even have emotion like a boy, look at me!" She stated firmly, tears stinging her eyes. She knew that all this would be such a long shot for the both of them, but she wanted to believe that somehow... it could work.

"Och, lass, come now. Up with ye." Isaiah coaxed with a small smile, hoisting her to her feet and planting a kiss atop her head. "I wanna show ye somethin'. C'mon." He urged, walking her back into his hut and showing her to his room. His mother had left a note stating that she'd gone to the market to gather some things for supper. He reached beneath his bed, tugging out a chest that seemed rather new. "Open it." He said, moving so she could slump before the precious present.

"What is it?" She asked. He nodded towards it with a straight-toothed grin, indicating that she'd just have to find out. Pausing a moment, Helena eyed him skeptically before she unhinged it and opened it, inhaling sharply once she found it held two sets of outfits. "Isaiah!" She almost shouted, pulling out the male garments.

"I got mum to make 'em. They're in your size and... the second set is fer yer sister." He replied. By Helena's shocked and heavily pleased features, he knew he did right by this order.

"My sister, too?" She asked, squeaking slightly. "C-can we do that? Are you sure it wouldn't be too much?" She asked him, shaking her head in disbelief. There was no way that she and her sister could both pull off being boys. She would do her best, but her sister probably wouldn't take the offer. She wasn't nearly as adventerous as Helena was.

"She mos' definitely needs to get out more. Moreso than you or I, 'Lena." He coaxed, receiving nothing more than a hug from Helena.

"Thank you so much, 'Aiah! Thank you! Oh! Oh... I must go!" She said, noticing how dark the sky was growing. Nervousness built in her stomach and she noted Isaiah's sudden sullen face. "Oh, not with the face, 'Aiah." She drawed out. "Please, I need to go. I'm sorry I can't be with you tonight, but we'll always have tomorrow." She said, placing a hand upon his cheek. This alone caused Isaiah's face to brighten at the thought of having yet another night with her. His heart began to hammer in his chest the moment she touched his cheek.

"Have fun tonight, lassie." He replied, watching with a depressed expression as Helena bolted for the door. Within seconds, however, he caught her arm, then turned her to face him, not waiting a single moment before he slanted his hot mouth over hers, dragging her tiny frame against his chest to deepen the kiss.

Immediately, the youngest Gotha sister melted like butter in his hands. Her small palms came up to press against his chest and her eyes welded shut while his steaming, moist, pink muscle thrusted into her mouth, then withdrew, softly fucking the wet cavern with his tongue. He kissed like an immortal, as though he had all the time in the world to savor her every essence, her every taste. Helena suddenly felt very small and very fragile in his hands.

Then, much to both of their vast disappointments, they broke apart, breathing heavily and staring at one another with such an intense desire that neither could believe they had the ability to sever their lips in the first place. Helena never spoke a blushing word. She merely turned and left, leaving Isaiah to wonder if he had made the right choice in kissing her. Still, even as she closed the door behind her, he couldn't bring himself to apologize for finally tasting the sweet saliva that reeked of vanilla and mint. He wasn't sorry for kissing her. He'd sampled her forbidden essence and he wasn't going to stop until he consumed all of her. One kiss just wasn't enough, as he had thought it would be. And maybe, in the near future or by happy luck, he'd be able to possess her heart. It was only fair. She already possessed his.

* * *

Blushing profusely and grinning from ear to ear, Helena Gotha stumbled blindly into her dark bedroom, abruptly startling Anna from behind the dressing screen. "Helena? Is that you, sister?" She called out meekly. Helena could only grin and giggle, then tackle her sister into a hug from behind the curtain, which only caused Anna to yelp in fright, then sigh in happiness and hug her sister back. "My goodness, aren't we in a fine mood? How did it go?" She asked.

"He kissed me!" She squealed out in sheer excitement. Anna's eyes went wide.

"He did?! How sweet!" She exclaimed, hugging her sister once more.

"Yes! And he--" a knock on the door and the calling of their names from their maids startled the girls out of their reverie. "I'll tell you later. For now, we must get changed!"

* * *

"Come _on_, Helena, we are going to be late!" Persisted the eldest Gotha sister, glancing to her disapproving mother's face. Two girls born into wealth, into name, they both were. Their family had been respected by almost everyone in Port Royal.

So respected, in fact, that the moment the two girls came of age, men were pummeling one another to have the honor of asking the fair ladies' hands in holy marriage. As tempting as the majority of the offers were, Helena and Annabelle-Lee simply could not find the courage for commitment.

It was terrifying, the idea of marriage. To simply settle for the first man who asks you and settle with a borish, lavish lifestyle. _Settling _for sewing and darning socks for your husband while he services the governor and has more adventures than any woman could ever dream of having? That was just it. Settling. That's all it would ever be for the blue-bloods of society today. Find a nice, respectable gentleman who has a lot of money, marry them, have a bunch of children and... and **_settle_**! Oh, that _word_! The sisters Gotha refused to settle for anything less than undying, passionate, adventerous love. A love that defied the laws of the land and the sea. A love that would be spoken of throughout the ages, living proof that this love... this passion and this adventure conquored all romance novels and myths to date.

Ah! The nerve of the male gender, the eldest Gotha sister mused to herself while tapping her foot and crossing her arms impatiently. She wanted to get this ball over with so that she could come home and rest well for an even bigger day, come the morrow. Finally seeing her sister descending the grand steps of their luxurious abode in the main hall, Annabelle smiled to herself. Her beloved sister _did_ look spectacular. The green dress Helena adorned brought out the piercing blue of her eyes, just as the red dress Annabelle-Lee sported brought out the sapphire in her hues.

"Fashionably so, darling sister, but you are right. Late, nonetheless." Helena replied with a dreary sigh, mutely indicating that she had no intention of having fun at this party they were heading to on this fine night in Port Royal. Smoothly linking her slender arm with Anna's, she leaned in while guiding her out of their home. "Why are we going to this party again? You know I hate these singles mingling everywhere and ogling my rear when I'm turned in the opposite direction."

"For mother and father, little sister, and a small reminder to you that there is no better way to ogle a young lady's bum unless she is facing the opposite path. You're as attractive and adorable as I am, so use it to your advantage and get us some free drinks. Lord have mercy, I'm going to have to be completely sloshed or I will be a bloody wallflower." Annabelle-Lee hissed back to her sister, causing the both of them to giggle amongst themselves and playfully nudge one another with their elbows. Eventually, they hauled themselves into the carriage gracefully, being carried off to enjoy a night of heavy drinking and warding off single and desparate, respectable gentlemen.

* * *

"Lady Helena and Annabelle-Lee Gotha!" Came the loud announcer's voice in Anna's ear, causing her to reach up and cover it habitually. All the men in the party beamed and cheered for the sisters while their cloaks were removed, revealing them in their glorious, radiant stupor. They smiled, straining the muscles in their cheeks while they descended rapidly.

Anna immediately beelined for the drinks, pouring herself a glass of punch and sipping it as a lady should. Of course, the moment she had made it to the table, the so-called "gentlemen" had swarmed in. It became the usual routine: pestering, unanswered inquiries and more offers of booze so she could "loosen up". Of course, Annabelle-Lee and her sister stuck close, accepting the offers in knowing that they were protected on all fronts.


	2. The Final Tranformation

A/N: Since I am in a _very_ pirate-y mood, I've decided to add yet another chapter to your imaginations! I own nothing except Annabelle-Lee, Helena and Isaiah MacLeod.

Also:

Annabelle-Lee Margarette Gotha/Thomas Black: Emmy Rossum from Phantom of the Opera/Gwyneth Paltrow from Shakespeare In Love  
Helena Lenore Gotha/Adam Black: Alexis Bledel of Tuck Everlasting/Keira Knightley of POTC 2 (when she dressed as a boy to find Will)  
Isaiah MacLeod: Garrett Hedlund of Eragon. (Just imagine that his attire is a bit more pirate-y. That, and he doesn't use a bow and arrow.)  
Lady Gotha: Helena Bonham Carter of almost any 17th or 18th century movie.  
Lord Gotha: Jeremy Irons of Eragon.

* * *

_Love all  
Trust a few  
Do wrong to none  


* * *

_

_**Once Upon a Midnight Dreary.

* * *

**My goodness, when will these boys disappear?_ Helena thought to herself, her eyes shifting about the room and studying each face with disgust. All these men constantly swarming her and her sister were making her feel sick. She held her glass of punch in her hand, swaying slightly to the music and feeling a bit woozy from the alcohol. Suddenly, her eyes fell on a familiar face and her breath caught in her throat. She clapped a hand over her mouth and grinned beneath her palm, finding the sight of Isaiah MacLeod in a suit very fetching and surreal.

He approached her like he was walking on a cloud, floating towards her in one of the best dreams she'd ever had. Immediately, she shoved her drink into the hands of one of the men attempting to woo her, making her way towards Isaiah with a large grin still plastered on her face.

"You're here." She whispered softly, reaching up to place a hand upon his cheek. Isaiah merely smiled in response and offered his hand out to her.

"Was me pa's. C'mon, lass. Give a sailor a dance, aye?" Helena nodded in response, taking his hand and stepping close to him. She almost forgot to breathe. "You know... it's gettin' harder holdin' ye close like this... especially after that kiss we shared earlier today." He eased through a whisper into her ear. A bold red coated her cheeks, causing the lad to smile while she nodded slowly, pressing her forehead against his chest. He kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arm tighter around her waist, not wanting to release her. Finally, she lifted her head from his chest and met his eyes.

"I was hoping you'd come tonight." She whispered softly to him. Isaiah could only nod and chuckle softly under his breath while he swayed with his woman to the soft, sensual rhythm of the music.

"Well, here I am in me da's suit. What _are_ yah goin' to do with me?" He said, meeting her eyes with such intensity that Helena almost lost her balance. A small smirk twisted on her lips and she tilted her head off to the side, as though coming up with ideas of what she could do now that she had him in her clutches. A small laugh escaped her lips before she grinned widely.

"I'm sure I could think of something." She replied slowly, moving up onto her tiptoes to catch his lips in a kiss. However, the moment their mouths were a hairsbreadth apart, a sharp scream emitted from outside. Both their heads turned in the direction of the bloodcurdling cry, Helena immediately began struggling to settle her gaze on her beloved sister. No dice, she mused with panic. "Anna." She hissed under her breath, breaking away from Isaiah's arms and pushing through the crowd, losing her lover in the background. "Anna!" She shouted, breathing a sigh of relief once she felt her sister's hand hook around her arm.

"Helena! Helena! Outside! There's cannons firing in the harbor, they're flying black sails!" She shouted, everyone in the ballroom already panicking and shouting, pushing eagerly for the exits.

"Pirates!" Helena hissed under her breath. Sudden worry filled her gaze once more, but before she could speak, a loud blast erupted, glass shattered and the sisters were tossed to the ground.

* * *

Shaking from head to toe, tears stinging her eyes, Annabelle-Lee arose from the ruins of the destroyed ballroom. She could feel her sister tugging her up from her feet and forcing her up the marble steps towards the exit of the large building, but no sound reached her ears, panic arose in her heart, forcing adrenaline to pump and spread like wildfire in her veins. Once they had exited the building, the buccaneers were already in the streets.

"Th-there! There's the carriage!" Annabelle-Lee shouted, pointing emphatically at the vehicle they'd arrived in. Much to her horror, she'd found that their driver had taken a shot between the eyes and was hanging half off his seat. "Oh my God!" Annabelle-Lee shrieked, hardly noticing that Helena had fallen to the ground in shock. Everything went in slow motion from there. Everyone was screaming, running, in the worst of fear from these people. The battle was only spreading, pooling around their feet, forcing them to see the world for what it really was: something they weren't even close to being ready for.

"Anna! Anna!" Came Helena's frightful voice, shaky and hoarse. She gripped onto her sister's dress, who had eventually sunk to her knees beside her blood, the only thing in the world that she would protect to her death. "If they're here... then they must have already been at the Gotha Manor!" She whispered worriedly. "Our parents... ma and da..." Anna didn't want to think about that at all, but now, the determination to save her family had forced her to almost jerk her sister violently to her feet and shove her into the carriage. "Anna! What are you doing?!" She screeched in fright.

"Stay in the carriage unless I say otherwise, Helena!" She demanded. Tears still streaked her cheeks, her hair was a mess and her dress was torn almost to shreds from the explosion in the ballroom. The adrenaline began to make her vision blurry, but before she could think about her actions, she had shoved aside the dead driver and had taken the reigns into her own hands. She slapped the leather straps against the horse's sides, forcing it into action with a loud whinny. It jolted forward, speedily carting the Gotha sisters back to their manor by taking back roads.

* * *

Helena trailed close behind her sister, holding her hand tightly. How astonishing that the moment the danger approached, she was the one too frightened to do anything about it. She was even more petrified to discover that her sister had been the one who took the reigns (literally) and protected her with everything she had in her. It was at this point that Helena knew that her sister was more attuned than she was to the world.

"Anna..." She began, but received a harsh "shush" from her sister. "What?" She whispered softly.

"Someone may still be here." A sharp gasp caught in her throat as they passed through their great hall, finding her father at the bottom of the steps with a shot in his chest. Helena had made to bend down, but Anna had stopped her. "Don't touch him, 'Lena!" She hissed almost viciously, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. "No time to cry, sister."

As if finding their father was bad enough, finding their mother was worse. A loud shriek erupted from Helena's mouth as she noted her mother's dead body laying on the bed. Her skirt was rucked up over her chest, her bodice was torn to shreds... and the blood... good lord, the blood. One would never think that the pool laying beneath their mother all came from one being, one shell, one body. Helena couldn't even hear her own screams. She couldn't remember flinging herself over the cold body of ther mother. But at that moment, she remembered the warmth of her sister hugging her from behind, trembling and crying with her.

"Good Christ above, sister... what are we going to do?" Annabelle-Lee whispered to Helena, who paused a moment, then opened her eyes, pulling up from her mother's body and turning to hug her sister properly. "Mother... mother can't have died like this. You can't die like this, I refuse to let us die like this." She wept... finally. Helena shook her head. After a few minutes of crying from their impending doom, Helena's head shot up and she made eye contact with her sister.

"I have an idea." She hissed whilst glancing over to the candle on the table. Carelessly, she knocked it over, starting a fire in the room. "Mother died in the fire. She didn't die like this. Nor did father. Let's get to the carriage." She said. Anna nodded curtly and abandoned the burning manor along with her sister.

* * *

The door to Isaiah's household burst open and there stood the Gotha sisters, panicked and looking for a familiar face. "Isaiah! Isaiah?!" Helena called into the empty hut. She huffed and grabbed her sister's hand. "We don't have time to wait for him to get back. C'mon!" She urged, dragging her sister into Isaiah's chambers and reaching under his bed. She jerked the large chest out from under his bed and pulled out the male clothing, shoving the blue set into her sisters arms. "Change quickly. And here... put this on, too." She said, placing a faux mustache over her sister's upper lip and a separate faux hair plug on her chin. "There. Very manly." She said, laughing softly to herself. Annabelle paused for a moment, then chuckled along with her sister, immediately ridding herself of her dress, bodice and knickers and began putting on the male garb.

Goodness, this couldn't be good.


	3. If I Were a Boy

A/N: Three chapters in two days? My word, this is going to be intense. I own nothing except the plot, Helena Gotha, Annabelle-Lee Gotha and Isaiah MacLeod. Enjoy!

* * *

_I'll put myself in poor and mean attire  
And with a kind of umber smirch my face;  
The like do you: so shall we pass along  
And never stir assailants  


* * *

_

_**Once Upon a Pair of Brothers.

* * *

**_

The moment they had changed, they stuffed the tattered dresses into the chest, shoving it back beneath the bed before bolting towards the door. They had clung to one another but a moment before recalling their garb and broke apart, trembling in fear at the sudden knowledge that there were two pirates standing in Isaiah's doorway. One was rather tall and skinny and he looked like he had a faux eyeball to replace his right optic. The other was short and stout and very much balding and scraggly-looking. Slowly, she "boys" backed away, looking for anything they could use as a weapon.

It seemed, however, that Annabelle-Lee had a better idea.

"Parley." She forced out in a deep voice. "We wish to be taken to your ship so as to speak with your captain. We have something that he wants." She said, sounding as much like a man as she could. The pair of characters seemed to bellow with laughter, hunching over before straightening up and slapping their knees.

"Oh yeah?!" Came the shorter one's retort. "What could you possibly have that the captain wants?" The taller one giggled, then began to interject.

"Y-yeah, 'cuz unless it's the way to Jack Sparrow and the map of the Fountain of Youth, then--" He received a smack in the back of the head for his treachery. "Well, c'mon, Pintel! S'not like they have that!" They both paused before turning to face the "boys". "Do you?"

Pausing a moment, Anna turned to face the terrified look upon her sister's visage before they both turned back to the men in the doorway and nodded fervently. If this would prevent them from being slaughtered, then they would send these men on dry runs until their feet bled. The awful blighters would pay for what they did to their mother and father. The girls would find ways to kill them in their sleep, if they had no other option.

Now that the men had their confirmation, they couldn't help but grin. "Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, lads! C'mon!" The men shouted, grabbing the frightened boys by the collars and forcing the pair to walk ahead of them. "The captain will be overjoyed, 'e will be." came the taller's voice. The shorter one, Pintel, seemed to grunt in agreement. Even facing away from them, the "boys" knew that their captors had huge, devious, ugly grins plastered on their faces once they noticed the "boys'" reactions, once they realized just what pirate ship they'd be sailing on.

_The Black Pearl? No! No, this can't be happening!_ Anna's voice rang in her head as she cast a worried look to her sister, who returned it greatly. What the bloody hell were they getting themselves into? Their fate was surely set now. Nothing left to do but scream from the treachery as they'd be gutted slowly and painfully.

* * *

Being hoisted upon the large vessel, the sisters almost tumbled to the floor from the hard shoves by Ragetti and Pintel. That was, until they laid eyes upon the fearsome captain that haunted their pirate stories. The very captain that lead mutiny against his own. The one that never left any survivors.

"What 'ave yah brought me, here, lads? Two filthy bilge rats in need of a nest?" He snapped at the pair of characters. Pintel took this moment to pipe up, obviously only heading to save his own skin from being flogged by the captain's hand. Smart man, Annabelle mused to herself.

"Cap'n! They know where we need to go! To find the Fountain of Youth--"

"Actually, to find Jack Sparrow, who has the _map_ to the Fountain of Youth." Interrupted Helena, for the first time in a long while.

"Ahh." Came the captain's intrigued sigh while he stroked the scraggly beard hanging from his chin. "And ye wish for us to leave yer town behind, aye? Ne'er return?" He asked. The "boys" looked to one another, then back to him, nodding fervently and heavily wishing to go back home. Though the captain's low chuckle seemed to almost make their knees buckle in fright. "Welcome to the crew, lads." Much to their horror, they'd be staying longer than anticipated.

"What of this cad, Captain?" Came another voice as another lad was shoved onto the deck, obviously soaked to the bone. "Caught 'im swimmin' to tha ship, sir! Looked awful mad, 'e did."

Helena's eyes went wide as saucers. It was Isaiah!

"Kill 'im!" Barbossa snapped.

"No! No, he's with us. He's fine." Helena almost screeched at him. "Must've lost his way, that's all." She shrugged helplessly. "But you've got my word. He's safe." Isaiah had been about to protest when Helena had offered him a hand up. He took it grudgingly, then stood and turned to whisper into her ear.

"Ya're a bloody fool, lad. Do yah not see? They doona need three people who know one thing." Of course, Helena almost forgot. He thought she was a boy. She sure as hell couldn't do anything to blow her cover. It was too risky on this ship. But still, she couldn't help but feel shudders when he hissed into her ear, even in anger. "Tell me yah know what ye're doin', laddie."

"Trust in my brother. He's smart. We'll live through this. We have to." Helena replied, watching her "brother" head into the captain's quarters to strike a deal with him.

* * *

"Tortuga?" Came Captain Barbossa's confused voice. Annabelle nodded calmly in response, Helena having been outside, learning to "get along with the crew" so to speak.

"Could you think of any other place a pirate could go to steal a good ship and a crew?" She asked him, trying her best not to show her fright to him, though there was no doubt that the man could smell it from a mile away. She had to at least attempt putting on a brave face for her sister before they were discovered to be women and flogged until death.

"And in exchange for this information, ye wish to be spared, aye?" He asked, a crooked grin twisting upon his lips. Anna nodded in response and Barbossa paused a moment before confronting her. "What's yer name?"

Anna faltered in saying her name. She hadn't thought of a name! Coming up with it from the top of her head, she piped up in an almost squeaky manner to reply. "Thomas. Black. My brother's name is Adam, he accompanied me here." She replied. The captain nodded curtly, as though he understood, then removed himself from his chair, using his knees to push it out behind him while he placed his palms against the desk of his cabin, leaning down to get right in Anna's face.

"If ye be lyin' ta me, boy..." he threatened.

"Call me a liar if you want to, Captain. I know I'm tellin' the truth and I'm square with it. But are you?" Maybe that retort was a bit too bold, but it made the captain laugh, nonetheless.

"Aye, I can see ye being a fine addition to the crew. What of the boy we found, hm?" He inquired, leaning in slightly.

"He remains safe. As do my brother and I." Anna replied. Barbossa nodded, stroking his beard.

"Fair enough. Take yer place among the crew, now." Anna took that moment to scurry from her seat, heading out to join her sister eagerly, who now seemed to be drinking straight from the bottle at this point, since there wasn't much else to do. "Lads!" Came the booming voice of Barbossa, who steadied a hand upon "Thomas'" shoulder, stopping "him" from going anywhere. "Tommy boy here has given us the information we need! Stow the cannons and make sail, we're pullin' back in ta Tortuga!" The men hollered in triumph, beginning to get the ship ready to leave. "Ya're with 'em, laddie." Barbossa's final words to Anna were before he gave her a hard push and forced her in to work with the crew.

* * *

As time passed, the sisters' muscles became more accustomed to the workload placed upon them. Their bodies felt less stiff, less strained and more tough and muscular. Still, Helena was finding it harder and harder to ignore the many quizzical looks she got from Isaiah every time their hands seemed to brush or every time she'd trip over something and either wind up falling on him or wind up bumping into him. Damn her and her clumsiness straight to hell!

Isaiah was confused, to say the least. He wondered why every time he touched Adam's skin remotely, he got chills raking up and down his spine. It shocked and repulsed him beyond emotional repair. So, with that noted, he made a point to avoid the twerp as best he could. It was hard, though. The lad wound up being wherever he was, which only increased Isaiah's fright and confusion. He didn't need Adam following him around all the time and he didn't need the boy getting the wrong idea about him. The last thing the both of them needed was to give the crew the wrong impression.

That day, Adam had approached Isaiah, determined to make small-talk. It was driving Helena insane, not talking to her lover. She needed to hear his voice, if only for a little while.

"Ahem... MacLeod." She nodded in Isaiah's direction, who merely rolled his eyes in frustration. "Look, I know you're not too fond of me..."

"Am I really that transparent?" He snapped back. Helena gave him a harsh glare, then rolled her own eyes.

"Fine. Here I was trying to make amends and you spit it right back in my _fucking_ face." She retorted.

"Hold on, there, laddie, don't go burnin' the ship down." He sighed out, snatching Helena's arm, then swiftly releasing it, as though he had been burned by touching her. Already, her chest was heaving. "I don't hate yah, alright? I just..." he had been about to say something, but he changed his mind. "Ya're a young laddie. Yah kinda remind me of someone. A girl I knew back in Port Royal." He added. Helena paused, becoming offended, but more worried.

"I look like a girl? Gosh, thanks. I feel so much better about myself." She said solemnly.

"Calm yer horses, laddie, I didn't mean it like that. Yer eyes are blue. Her eyes were blue." Helena paused, then nodded slowly, mouthing "ah".

"So..." she took up a space beside him, leaving considerable distance between their arms while she looked out onto the sea. Isaiah copied her movements, scooching a bit closer to her. "What was this 'bonnie lass' like, huh?" She inquired, glancing over to him before looking back out to the sunset.

"Ah, ye know. She looked like any girl..." immediately, Helena wanted to finish the conversation. So, she merely shorthanded her replies.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Two eyes, a nose and a pretty little mouth, all perfectly aligned in the middle of her face." This caused Helena to chuckle softly in response, Isaiah did so as well. "Except her eyes were the prettiest blue I'd ever seen. Her nose was this cute li'l button and her mouth... well, I could never get enough o'that mouth." He shrugged helplessly.

"She sounds like a keeper, mate." Helena replied, pushing herself away from the rail. "Where is she now?"

Isaiah gave a long pause, putting his hand over his mouth. "She's dead." He replied. That was when Helena's train of thought came to a screeching halt. She became suddenly speechless. "I searched everywhere. First I thought she'd go to my hut for safety, but I couldn't find her or her sister anywhere. I ventured to their manor before I wound up 'ere."

"So you're assuming she's dead?"

"What else could I hope for after seeing their house burnin' to de ground?" He snapped viciously back to her, causing her to pull back in fright. Isaiah heaved a long sigh. "Sorry, laddie. I just..." he straightened his back, "it's nothin'."

"It's not nothing." She retorted.

"It _is_ nothing. Doona worry, laddie, I'm fine." Obviously now the both of them were becoming rather irritated.

"You know what F.I.N.E. means, right?" Came her quieted voice. Isaiah grunted in response while cradling his head in his hands. Hopefully this would brighten his day. "Freaked out. Insecure--"

"Neurotic and emotional..." His eyes were wide as he raised his head and looked over at Helena. "She's alive?" He asked her.

Helena grinned widely, nodding and patting his back with reassurance. "Aye. She's very much alive. I made sure of that."

Much to her surprise, she suddenly felt Isaiah's arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. "Och, thank yah, laddie! Shit, the girl had me worried sick." After a moment of realizing what he was doing, he cleared his throat and dropped her back to the ground, staring just at her male garb, not bothering to peer inside for a closer look. "Sorry, mate. Just got worked up, is all."

"S'okay." She replied softly, adjusting her hat upon her head. "C'mon, let's get back to work." She urged him. Isaiah nodded with a bright smile before returning to his duties.

* * *


	4. It's Not Me, It's You

A/N: Okay, so make it four chapters. Read and review, please. Make it good. I own nothing except Anna, 'Lena, 'Aiah and the plot. Enjoy!

* * *

_It had to end to begin  
Living in your head  
Without anything to numb you  


* * *

_

_**Once Upon a Pirate Town.

* * *

**_

Annabelle used her adrenaline to her advantage. She had come to learn the ropes so well that she could be at one end of the ship and wind up on the other end within seconds. Her sneakiness had become a fine addition to the crew and often rewarded her in long nights of ship watch with either her sister or Isaiah, maybe even Pintel or Ragetti. Anna never complained. She found that she was a nighthawk and worked well with staying up all night.

"Land ho!" Came Ragetti's cry from up above. Already, excited men piled to the sides to settle eyes upon their beloved Tortuga. All cheered happily, even Thomas and Adam. Land. At long last, after such a long time of waiting. Land. As much as the sea excited them, land was always a sight for sore eyes.

"Alright, yah scurvy dogs, get 'er ready to make port!" Came Barbossa's booming voice. "We're on a mission, lads! We're gettin' that map!" Suddenly, Annabelle and Helena found their hearts in their shoes. That worry and panic that they had come to overthrow when they had first arrived on the ship had come back to haunt them. They gulped loudly, but nervously cheered along with the rest of the men.

"'Lena, what are we going to do?" Hissed Helena to her sister.

"We go ashore, change into dresses and flee. No harm done." She retorted, keeping her voice ultimately low so as to not draw attention to their conversation. "Not like anyone'll recognize us if we dress like girls." She said with a small shrug

"What about Isaiah? I can't just leave him here, An--I mean... Thomas..." Helena paused, noticing that she had raised her voice enough to draw some attention. She cleared her throat, ignoring some of the pestering eyes and ears trying to listen in on their conversation. "I am _not_ leaving him behind!" She hissed.

"Then we're stuck with death!" Anna retorted angrily. "No turning back now, Adam. We have to see this through and pray to God that he's there."

"Might I remind you that we have no idea of the streets of Tortuga?" She panicked, her voice squeaking slightly.

"We've made it this far. Pretend like you already know where you're going. Maybe we can lose them in a crowd or something." She said, shrugging helplessly.

"Feel free to lead us, lads." Came Barbossa's voice to the "boys", breaking them from their nigh hysterical conversation. This caused them to make panicked eyes, but they nodded in agreement, nonetheless, not bothering to go back to what they were talking about. Everything had been said and it was official. They were done for.

* * *

Making port was not the issue anymore. Now it was coming up with a good plan so they could escape. Without any knowledge of the town whatsoever, the "lads" lead the crew through Tortuga, feeling almost like they were giving a grand tour of a house. They paused, then gestured towards what looked like a pub. The Faithful Bride was scrolled above the door. "There. He's there." Thomas Black pointed out. Barbossa nodded and forced the "lads" to go ahead of him, which made them roll their eyes. Still, they followed his lead, moving into the pub and almost fell to their knees to thank the lord the moment Barbossa pointed out the man sitting in the pub surrounded by various wenches who were more than ready to please, talking to an older gentleman with a white beard and white hair.

"There 'e is, boys." He instructed.

"Oh my God, he's here." They voiced aloud, their jaws almost on the floor and their hearts pounding loudly in unison within their chests. By the heavens, they never thought they would be this lucky to actually find the man they were looking for. They hardly noticed that Isaiah was giving them an odd look, as though wondering why they were so astonished. Still, it shocked them even more when he had leaned over and whispered "good work" to them.

He patted Adam upon the shoulder, ignoring the jolt that shook him back to his foundations and jerked his hand back immediately after that. He wouldn't be able to control himself if something like that hit him again. Whether Adam was a boy or not, he couldn't hold back this attraction any longer. Touching Adam made him feel like he did when Helena touched him. It was unreal, unthought of and downright unnatural for him to be having these thoughts of fatal attraction to the lad. Still, he had to admit, he just couldn't help himself. Those eyes resembled his Helena and they drove him mad with every bit of contact that they made with his onyx optics.

He ignored the odd look that Adam had sent him and turned his attention back to the scene before him. He immediately clenched his fists, becoming more and more infuriated with his desires than he thought he would be. This needed to end and he would be sure to end it. He was going to end it all.

* * *

There was no doubt in Annabelle's mind as to the attractiveness of Captain Jack Sparrow. No wonder the wenches were surrounding him and hounding for his attentions. He seemed more than intriguing to the young woman, more than anything she'd ever known. She was currently in the presence of a true legend. The man who sacked Nassau Port without firing a single shot, who escaped a deserted island using nothing but sea turtles that had been strapped to his feet. She was in the presence of a great man and a great pirate. The true keeper of the Black Pearl. A man who always had ways to thrill a woman. She said nothing, merely staring in awe as she had been faced with the pirate she read about.

"I'm 'avin' a thought here, Barbossa. 'Ow about, since yah need the map, I take back _my_ ship and leave you here with these lovely wenches? Aye?" Sparrow tempted him, almost flailing in gesture to the lovely ladies with painted faces surrounding them. They seemed to be less pleased by the thought of being stuck with Barbossa, his mutinous first mate. At Barbossa's glare, Sparrow seemed to lean back slightly. "What? Seems like a fair offer. S'not like I'm leavin' yah high and dry, here, mate."

"Cap'n..." the white-haired man began, but received a "shush, Master Gibbs" in his wake, making him immediately shut his mouth and cough.

"How about I kill yah and take the charts for meself and me crew? Hmm?" He retorted. Jack rolled his eyes in frustration.

"If I may interject, cap'n--" Gibbs began, but was interrupted.

"Look you could kill me and take the charts, mate, but you're forgetting about one thing..." he paused a moment, glancing over to the crew behind Barbossa and noted the shocked faces of the two Black boys and Isaiah. "Who are _they_?"

"Part of me crew." Barbossa replied with anger. He then motioned to Pintel and Ragetti. "Take these codpieces to the brig." He demanded, watching them grab Jack's and Gibbs' arms and force him onwards to the harbor.

* * *

What bothered Jack the most was not that he was being held captive on his own ship (yet again) but the fact that the moment he had brushed shoulders with the taller of the two brothers, he felt a jolt of electricity shake through his spine. It immediately worried him, but what scared him more was the immediate response he felt stirring in his breeches. It seemed to boggle his mind the whole walk back to his ship, clutching the charts tightly to his chest, obviously unwilling to let them go. He was going to find the Fountain of Youth with or without Barbossa.

_Maybe find a way to get rid of 'im? Tried that at Isle de Muerta and no dice, mate. _He concluded in his head, fighting with himself the whole way. Occasionally, he would glance around, skeptically eyeing the crew and noting that the boys they recruited, save the black-haired, taller man, were scrawny and seemed rather useless to his eyes. However, thinking about it again, maybe they had other skills that proved more useful to Barbossa. He didn't have much time to dwell on the matter before his eyes fell once more upon the ship that always seemed to escape his grasp. The Black Pearl... she looked just as magnificent as he recalled. A small grin twitched at his lips, but he suppressed it, recalling that he was going to be sent right to her brig the moment he set foot on her.

However, an idea popped into his head at that moment and he thought that maybe one last attempt at negotiating would turn Barbossa once more to his side.

"Barbossa. Might I propose we hop to the Captain's chambers and negotiate this voyage in a more professional way?" He offered with a forced, charming, gold-toothed grin, causing Hector Barbossa to turn to him, his eyes flashing dangerously from Sparrow to the charts in his hands. "No harm to it, mate." He offered, raising the charts slightly and shaking them in front of Barbossa's face to tempt him more.

"By the powers, ye be right, Jack." He concluded with a long, frustrated sigh, ignoring Jack's grin of triumph.

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about in there?" Helena asked Annabelle. Her sister shrugged in response, tying a tight knot on one of the masts so they could sail smoothly from the harbor and begin their journey.

"Two captains on one ship... goodness, I can see this turning into a huge drama." Anna replied calmly, nodding to Isaiah to confirm that her job was done. He returned the nod and continued about his work, a particular cold look upon his face. Annabelle gave his tensed back a hard glare before climbing out onto the bowsprit to be sure that the lines were still tight there as well, leaving Helena behind to deal with the sour puss.

"Meet me in the hold at midnight, Black. Mark me, lad. You don't want ta cross me." Came the thick, Irish brogue in her ear. Helena's eyes flashed back to him and she gave him a confused look and shook her head, not wanting to think what he was thinking. "Do it, Black. See that I'm not jerkin' yer chain, boy." He snapped, flashing her almost wild eyes. He was furious with her about something. That alone caused her cheeks to redden considerably. She shook her head again, then gasped when he grabbed the front of her jacket. "Do _not_ cross me, boy!" He hissed.

"Let me go, MacLeod. You don't want to do this." She said in a much calmer voice than she could muster. Before she knew it, Isaiah had been pried off of her by her sister, a sword now tickling his adams apple teasingly.

"What are you doing to my brother?" She snapped viciously, obviously prepared to take the punishment for drawing her weapon on a member of her own crew. She gasped, however, once the scruff of her neck was grabbed and she was whipped into the deck of the ship. "Oof!" She grunted, now rubbing her tailbone in anger and staring up at Barbossa, who showed up in the nick of time.

"I'll not 'ave this animosity on me ship! Save yer anger for the journey, lads! You're all gonna need it!" He shouted, then looked to Anna with fierce eyes. "Ye be warned this time, Black. Next time, lashings will do you right to know that yah don't draw yer weapon on yer crew!" Anna had almost opened her mouth to retort, but she slammed it shut. She didn't need lashings. No... that was a surefire way to get their cover blown. She shot a harsh glare towards Isaiah while she pushed herself to her feet. She then guided Helena away with her, fully intent on protecting her until her dying breath.

* * *


	5. Who's Captain?

A/N: Nevermind. Five chapters. I'm gonna stop counting now, shall I? I own nothing except Anna, 'Lena, 'Aiah and the plot. Enjoy!

* * *

_I saw you cry today  
The pain may fill you  
I saw you shy away  
The pain will not kill you  


* * *

_

_**Once Upon Two Captains.

* * *

**_

"Belay that, belay that!" Jack shouted over Barbossa's voice, causing Hector to immediately grow anxious and frustrated with the annoying Sparrow, wanting to shoot him only an hour into the trip. "What?"

"Are we _really_ gonna go through the same thing we went through before, Jack? The captain gives orders on the ship." He said, attempting to remain as calm as possible.

"Aye and since we're both captains makes it a bit tougher to determine which captain should be leading this voyage, Hector. I propose the one with the most collateral? I have the charts and the compass. Hmm. That must make me the _real_... Captain." He said almost whistfully, his face only inches from Barbossa's, which caused the elder captain to make a face from the stench of his breath. Jack pulled back, a semi-perplexed look upon his face. "But since I know that won't fly, how about this..." he couldn't believe he was pulling this offer. "How about... we take _turns_ wiv 'er? Eh?" He wiggled his eyebrows for effect. "I command 'er during the night, you... command her during the day."

Lord knows the men were too tired to fight anymore than they already had for these past years. Hector reluctantly agreed, shaking hands with Sparrow and nodding. "Aye, that should about do it."

"Which means..." Jack drew out, pointing to the setting sun that was in the sky with wide eyes, indicating that he should be captain for the time being. Hector rolled his eyes, grumbling something under his breath before retiring to the Captain's quarters to sleep. It was obvious that the bastard was not having the best day. All to Jack's enjoyment. He liked having a sort of control over Hector. It worked to his purpose when the blighter wasn't trying to kill him or set a mutiny onto him.

His eyes settled on the three newcomers who had gotten into trouble for fighting one another on the deck and squinted his eyes at the medium-sized of the three, pointing to him and gaining his attention. He motioned him over. "Oi! You." He said to keep the boy's attention. "What's your name, boy?" He asked.

Annabelle seemed to freeze for a moment before answering in as manly a voice as she could muster. She cleared her throat beforehand."Thomas Black, sir. My brother is there." The "boy" pointed to his family with a single, slender digit. "His name's Adam. The taller arse is Isaiah MacLeod." She concluded with disdain.

"Huh..." Jack thought to himself, biting his tongue between his teeth and turning to settle his eyes back on Annabelle with a sly grin. "Well, since you're worried about your brother, you'll have to be overjoyed to know that you'll be looking over him tonight. Wiv me." He concluded, receiving an open mouth and a rather tempting, pink tongue that was making to protest. He clapped his hand over the boys mouth, but pulled it back as though burned, growing furious with his sudden sexual confusion. He shot the boy an almost terrified glare. "Hmm. Interesting." He paused a moment before he continued.

"Captain, I can't--" Annabelle was interrupted, but she allowed it. She was tired. She needed to sleep and rest her weary bones.

"No twaddle-speak, boy. You'll do as I say and you'll love every minute of it. But with that small protest, you've just rewarded yourself a week of nights in service wiv ol' Jackie."

"But I--"

"You wanna make it two weeks, then?" Annabelle clamped her mouth shut immediately, fuming in anger. "I thought not." He motioned her away, though when she'd turned to leave, he called out to her. "Consider yerself lucky, boy. Had it been Hector, he'd 'ave somefin' much worse for yah." He teased, causing some of the men to chuckle in response.

* * *

That night, as the crew remained in the fo'c'sl or lay wherever they could to sleep, Jack Sparrow had begun his progress of working Annabelle-Lee Gotha to the marrow of her bones. The more he became frustrated, the more he would take it out on her. Anna had no clue how she could have angered the captain so much already to deserve this much work, but she said no word about it. She didn't want to prolong her stay with Sparrow. She hated the bastard more than she ever hated a man in her life. He was cruel, rude and never allowed her a moment's rest. He always had her doing something. She could've sworn she wound up washing the deck at least three times that fine night.

"Come, come, now, lad, how is this rope at all acceptable?" Sparrow said, picking at it in disgust.

Annabelle merely clenched her jaw and said through gritted, white teeth, "I only tied it exactly how you showed me, Captain."

"Well, tie it again." He coaxed, obviously becoming irritated. Not as irritated as Annabelle was about to become with him. "C'mon, Black. The night's not even finished and you're already getting upset with me? Tsk, tsk. This is going to be a long week for you."

"Oh, would you _please_ just shut it!" She snapped, then clapped her hand over her mouth once she realized that she'd said that aloud.

"Make that three weeks. One extra week for talking back and another for not addressing me as 'Captain'." He retorted, an almost sadistic grin on his face. Anna heaved a sad sigh, then turned back to the knot, beginning to untie it so she could tie it back up again and have him criticize it.

* * *

While the night fell and the crew tucked in to sleep for the remainder of a long and grueling week, Annabelle-Lee was at harder work than she gave herself credit for. She had thought that she was working hard during the time on the Pearl before Sparrow had shown up, but now... now she was astonished that she was still alive and alert. Overall, she'd only get about two hours of precious slumber a night. Barbossa needed her during the daytime and Jack insisted on keeping her for the night, both not allowing her any rest whatsoever. Over the whole course of the week, she hadn't been able to sit and rest once. Not to mention she hardly had time to eat or speak with her sister.

* * *

Much to Jack's own chagrin, the week had only made those tiny little electric jolts intensify. It didn't scare him as much as it made him curious to find out more about this Thomas Black. So, he continued to take out his frustrations on the lad, work him to the bone in hopes that maybe, by some miraculous happenstance, he might find something out that he never thought possible before.

"Tom. Over here." Jack instructed, watching the worn and bruised lad make his way over to him.

* * *

Annabelle merely grunted in response, leaning against the rail of the deck and looking at him with weary eyes. That was, until she heard the words "you ever steered a ship before" leave his mouth. She immediately awakened and gave him an odd look, wondering if he was only playing with her.

"Captain?" She asked, unaware if she had heard him correctly.

* * *

Though Jack was more than hesitant about giving the boy the wheel (as he was so possessive of his precious Pearl) he thought it best to reward the boy for all his hard work. It was only fair. "She's going fairly steady at the moment, but I'm willing to let you turn her in a few circles." He reasoned. "Come." He commanded, motioning the "lad" over with a "come hither" motion of his fingers. The boy seemed to oblige eagerly and move to stand beside him.

Hesitantly, he took up the lad's right hand, placing it on one of the toggles of the wheel, then placed the other in the correct position, numbing himself to the heat that seemed to radiate between their hands. It was nothing, he mused to himself, just missing the touch of a woman... heavily. That done and said in his mind, he stood behind the boy, being sure to keep a certain amount of distance between the lad's back and his chest.

* * *

Annabelle's chest seemed to heave and her heart threatened to break straight through the marrow cage of her ribs. She allowed her hands to be lead to the steering wheel. She gripped it rather tightly. To the point where her knuckles were turning white. There was something about the way he was holding her hands and forcing her to ease the large vessel around in a circle that made a droplet of sweat appear on her temple. She couldn't take much more of this heat.

For a moment, she could've sworn she heard him inhale deeply through his nose, indicating that he obviously took in the scent of her hair, which she hadn't washed in some time.

Much to her horror, the man had the gal to take a step closer to her, his strong chest brushing her back and almost making her knees buckle in response from her apparent weakness. He leaned with her, making her shut her eyes to feel the wind on her face, which had intensified slightly. Eventually, she felt something was amiss. Something was amiss on her face! Or rather, something was about to be amiss.

The circle had been completed, though by that time, Annabelle had torn herself from Sparrow's grip, covering her mouth and rushing into the fo'c'sl to wake her sister.

"Helena! Helena!" She hissed, causing her sister to jerk her eyes open and shoot up from her spot on the floor.

"What!" She whispered snappishly back to her, then gasped when she noticed that Annabelle's faux mustache was peeling off. "Oh, no!" She hissed, forcing the mustache back into its place and dabbing it with a bit of saliva to make it hold better. "My goodness! Did anyone notice?" She asked.

"No, I don't think so. It was only the Captain and I." She reasoned. Helena breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank God you came to me. You go back out there, alright?" She said, easing a lock of hair back into Anna's boy wig. Anna nodded in response, then disappeared back to the helm to accompany her captain.


	6. Near Life Experience

A/N: I own nothing except Anna, 'Lena, 'Aiah and the plot. Enjoy!

* * *

_This water is slowly rising up  
Swallowing the ground  
Beneath my feet  
Tell me how anybody thinks under this condition._

_

* * *

_

_**Once Upon Two Pairs of Blues.  


* * *

**_

The storm was heavy that night and for once during the voyage, after those three long weeks had subsided, the two captains had been working together to keep the ship from being reclaimed by the sea. Annabelle-Lee was swinging from ropes between the main topsail and the mizzen, doing her best not to fall into the treacherous waters waiting to take her life below. Secure the lines, wind in the sails, make sure you don't get hit by lightning. Gotha was going insane with fright, but she was doing her best not to lose grip. With her weary bones and tired eyes, it was getting harder and harder to concentrate. Every so often, her blue hues would cast down and spot Jack Sparrow shouting orders on the main deck while Barbossa was at the quarter deck, leading the ship through the dangerous waters.

"Thomas!" Came Sparrow's booming voice above the loud winds and the rain. It immediately caught Anna's attention and she looked down.

"Aye, Captain?" She called back, hoping he could hear her voice and know that she was listening.

"Get down here, Black! I need you!" He called back. He didn't need to command her twice. The moment she'd secured the final line, she shimmied down the rope and landed upon the main deck, her sea legs wobbling upon the rocky course. Sparrow approached her, then gestured to the main boom. "There's a rope caught in the rudder, Black! I'm giving you a lifeline, I'm going to help you get it out of there!" He shouted over the commotion. Annabelle nodded nervously, but she was determined to impress the man. Over the few weeks, she'd grown to respect him.

Once everything had been set up (her lifeline being attached to Captain Sparrow, who was attached securely to the rail of the strong quarter deck. He also instructed Ragetti and Pintel to be sure that the rope wouldn't come undone. He eased onto the main boom with Annabelle, helping her find her bearings on the side of the ship while being sure that her lifeline was still strong. "I don't think I can do this, Captain!" She called out to him, meeting his gaze. Jack shook his head, giving her hand a tight squeeze to reassure her.

"Yes, you can, Black! You're the fastest one on this ship, you can get this! I've got yah right here, remember that." He shouted back to her, lightly tugging on her lifeline to indicate that she'd be fine. Anna nodded, trusting his judgement and following the free rope with her fingers to feel where it was stuck.

A large wave hit the ship, tossing it about in the opposite direction and making Anna hold on for dear life.

"Get back up here, Black!" Came Sparrow's demanding voice. Still, Anna was determined to get the rope out. She still had a few more meters of rope to go and she was currently balanced on the sill of her captain's quarters' window. The rope was caught right in the rudder.

"I'll be right back!" She shouted back, plugging her nose and taking the final leap of trust for her captain, using the rope as a guide once she dove into the water and opened her eyes. She immediately began to cut the rope from the rudder, ignoring the constant tugging on the rope, but noting that it was almost frantic.

* * *

"Stupid bloody boy!" Jack shouted at the top of his lungs once he watched Thomas pencil dive into the water. He jerked the lifeline up as much as he could, though he found that with the storm tossing the ship everywhere, he didn't want to make the wrong move and send the boy directly into the rudder. This immediately worried him. "Barbossa!"

"Aye!" Hector called back.

"Keep the helm as straight as ye can! We've lost one over here!" Sparrow instructed, though it seemed he was too late.

The moment had happened. One final tug of warning and the empty hoop that once held his worker had risen above the water. Sparrow's eyes widened in anger and astonishment, immediately beginning to curse himself for even suggesting that the boy go down there. Cursing beneath his breath, he took the long length of lifeline that he had, then dove directly from the main boom into the water, disappearing beneath its choppy surface to find his lost mate.

Much to his surprise, he saw the outline of Thomas cutting the rope quickly and skillfully. He tapped the boy on the shoulder, then assisted Black in tugging the rope free before swimming him back to the surface.

Once above the water, Jack instructed the boy to hold on tight as Ragetti and Pintel assisted in pulling them up onto the Pearl once again, gasping and panting for air.

"You alright, lad?" He asked, only causing the boy to nod and cough in response. Roughly, Jack clapped his back, stepping away from him. "Good. We still need yah, Black. Think ye can make it until the storm comes to a close?" He inquired, only receiving another nod. "Good. Oh, and boy... don't ever do that again." He instructed once he removed his lifeline, sauntering off immediately after that.

* * *

Annabelle had been about to retort, but she hunched over immediately after that, feeling a sharp pain in her ribs. There had actually been a moment while she was under the water that she had been tossed against the rudder. At the time, she thought nothing of it. She would think nothing of it now. Her captain and her sister needed her to be strong.

"Thomas! Thomas, are you okay?" Came her sister's "manly" voice. Annabelle nodded and forced herself to straighten up, receiving a hard hug from her sister. "Thank God, I was so worried. Come, let's finish off this storm." She said. This alone caused the sisters to act quickly, going into action and beginning to get themselves ready for the new day.

* * *


	7. The 'Should' Game

A/N: I own nothing except Anna, 'Lena, 'Aiah and the plot. Enjoy!

* * *

_Whatever makes you see makes you believe  
Forget about the premonition you need to conceive  
The images, they sail on illusion and dream  
In other words: dishonesty_

_

* * *

_

_**Once Upon a Lie.  


* * *

**_

Almost two weeks had passed since the storm and Annabelle noticed intense the bruising around her ribs and a pain that seemed to be getting worse by the passing hour. She wouldn't be able to take much more of this, though she had been so honored the night after the storm's passing, when Captain Sparrow had promoted her to cabin boy. She had obviously impressed him enough and proved her worth. Something greatly appreciated. And yet she couldn't come to tell her Captain about the damned wound she had received protecting his precious Pearl.

Pausing a moment, she hunched over on the area of the deck that she had been scrubbing, wrapping her arm around her ribs and coughing slightly. Hearing impending footsteps, she pushed the pain aside and went directly back to scrubbing, thanking the cool night air for being so sweet against her sweaty skin. She felt like she was overheating, like she was going to faint any moment, even _with_ the cool breeze. Thank God she was already hunched over. If she should faint, maybe they'd think that she was only sleeping in her own cleaning water. It wouldn't matter to her, really. Any rest seemed like good rest.

She stole a glance over to where her sister stood, daydreaming and looking out to the sea. It was as though Helena could feel her sister's eyes boring into the back of her head. She turned to face her swiftly. The moment she had, Anna's eyes went right back to her work, not wanting Helena to get worried about what was going on with her sister. She would heal soon enough and when she did, her performances would be better than ever.

Much to Anna's chagrin, however, she noticed that lately, her binding felt terrible. The one thing that kept the men from completely throwing her overboard, along with her sister, was becoming completely unbearable. To the point where she could barely tighten it anymore. She couldn't wear it anymore, though she knew she had to. Goodness, it had never been this unbearable before.

"Thomas Black." Announced Jack Sparrow's voice, tugging Thomas Black from his thoughts and worry, which caused Annabelle to sigh heavily and look up at him. She almost knew what he was going to say before he said it, but she wasn't about to interrupt him. The last thing she needed right now was to get into trouble. She felt as though she could hardly stand at the moment.

"Captain?" She asked, wanting to know what he wanted to she could go back to what she was doing. Sparrow made a small motion with his hands, signaling her that he wanted her to get up. "Aye, Captain?" She asked, perking a slender brow.

"Your performance is slipping to the depths on this vessel, Mister Black, why. Why is that, sir?" He demanded harshly.

"I--I'm sorry, sir. I'm just... I'm not feeling..." her breast binds suddenly felt too tight. She felt like she was struggling to breathe. Her vision blurred and she almost fell forward, but Sparrow grasped her shoulders and forced her to steady.

* * *

"Woah, there, mate..." He said, adopting a cautious expression while he steadied the boy.

"Sorry... sorry, Captain. I just... I think I'm gonna faint..." And just like that, the boy slumped against his chest. Jack made a confused face, furrowing his eyebrows together and widening his eyes.

"Uh... Mister Gibbs!" He called out, receiving a curious "aye, captain" before Joshamee appeared. Jack pointed to the boy, flexing his forefinger in a rhythm before jerking his thumb towards the captain's quarters. Gibbs nodded, taking the boy up into his arms. "Find out what's wrong wiv 'im." He instructed, feeling his heart thump wildly in his chest while he watched Gibbs disappear into the Captain's cabin. He turned his eyes back to Hector Barbossa, whi seemed to be smoking a pipe and sitting on the ledge of the rail on the quarter deck.

"Always thought there be somethin' fishy 'bout that boy since the storm." Hector said, blowing the smoke of tobbacco from his lungs before taking another puff of his pipe.

"Aye. The boy worries me. There's somefin' else 'bout 'im that I simply cannot put me finger on. Rather frustrating, now that I think about it." This caused Hector to chuckle. Jack sent him an odd look.

"Maybe the boy just can't take the pressure." Barbossa concluded, shrugging. "We're not far from makin' port to gather rations. Mayhap we can drop 'im and 'is brother off, let 'em go their own path as landlubbers." He concluded.

"Utterly deceptive twaddle-speak, says I." Jack retorted.

"We got no time fer gutless snipes like that, Jack." Hector retorted, hopping from the rail and tapping his pipe off on his boot. "Either they toughen up or we lose 'em. You know the code, Jack. I suggest ye keep to it."

* * *

Helena became immediately worried once she saw her sister faint. She almost screamed and followed Gibbs into the Captain's quarters, even if she had no idea what she'd do to help, she'd do her best. She found herself silently crying in the hull, praying to whatever God was up there that her sister would be alright.

"Adam?" Came that familiar Irish brogue. Immediately, Helena cleared her eyes, not wanting her old lover to see her crying. "Och, lad, don't bother tryin' ta hide it. I could tell yah were weepin' from a mile away." He said. Helena rolled her eyes.

"I'm really not in the mood for your scolding, MacLeod, so unless you have something good to say, get the bloody hell away from me." She snapped at him, her attempt to sound manly failing and making her voice crack. Isaiah seemed to tilt his handsome face off to the side while he took position next to her on the floor. Grunting, he tossed his arm over Helena's shoulders.

"Calm yerself, lad. You'll be fine and so will yer brother." He said. This alone caused Helena to scrunch up her face. She knew that this wouldn't last long before she started crying again. Her tears were already flowing freely. For the moment, she merely leaned into Isaiah's embrace, causing him to hold her petit shoulders tighter. She didn't want him to let go, she didn't want him to think she was a boy anymore and she didn't want to pretend that she didn't feel anything for him anymore. It was killing her inside, seeing him hurt every day and hearing him speak of how pretty she was and how he felt for her without being able to do anything about it.

"Isaiah... I need to tell you something." She said, beginning to open her mouth, but she stopped once she heard someone coming down the steps.

"What's that, lad?" He asked her. Much to hers and his disappointments, she shook her head in response.

"Nothing... thank you." She concluded, receiving only a playful ruffle of her hair before he stood and headed for the door, leaving her to continue her crying elsewhere.


	8. Dance With the Devil

A/N: I own nothing except Anna, 'Lena, 'Aiah and the plot. Enjoy!

* * *

_I will dive into my sleep  
And I dream of the pretty buildings  
Wonder what she's doing now  
And whether she's still living_

_

* * *

_

_**Once Upon a Pretty Face.  


* * *

**_

"Cap'n! Cap'n!" Gibbs shouted, obviously panicked and worried to his superstitious bones. Jack perked a brow, obviously finding some entertainment in seeing him scurry around the workers on the ship to let him know what news he'd gained from his cabin boy.

"Aye, Gibbs. What's the news on my defective cabin boy, hm?" He asked, watching Gibbs reach his ear and begin whispering something. "You can't do anything about it? Were you able to stop it? Ah. We should be making port in a few days, not to worry. Keep 'im wrapped up and don't let 'im leave that room!" He demanded, beginning to make off to do more commanding around the ship, but Gibbs snatched his arm and tugged him back so he could continue whispering to him.

"Th-there's something about that, too, cap'n!" Was all the crew could hear before his voice quieted down and he whispered the second problem. Jack's eyes immediately went wide and he pulled back, making an intrigued face before glancing over to Barbossa, who also wanted to know the news as well. Before Gibbs could tell him, Jack flailed him off, commanding him to take care of the crew.

"What was that about, Jack?" Barbossa asked, a grin on his face, since he knew that his former captain was hiding something in the back of his mind. He noted Jack's small twitch before he responded on impulse.

"We need to make port with all haste or I'm losing my cabin boy, Hector." He replied with a worried expression, though he suppressed it immediately. "The crew's working overtime. Let's put the Pearl into overdrive, the holiday is over." He snapped.

"Aye, a cabin boy is of great value to a cap'n, Jack. Anythin' else?" He pressed. Jack shrugged.

"Nope. That's it." He managed before sauntering down the steps and whispering something to Gibbs, who wound up leading him into the captain's quarters, which Jack shut and locked behind him.

* * *

"A woman, Gibbs! I do not allow impersonators on my ship!" Jack snapped angrily to his first mate, who sputtered for a moment before replying.

"Cap'n! With all due respect, no one knew that she was a woman. Maybe we should keep it that way?" He offered. Jack made a face, tapping his chin for a moment. Maybe keeping it a secret could benefit him in some way. "Nobody knows of this, save you and I." He urged, causing Jack to hold up his index finger, his eyes widening and a bright smile appearing on his face.

"Aye, Gibbs! A smart man you are! Now we can keep her a secret and, more than likely, her sister until Barbossa finds out and flogs 'em into Davy Jones' locker." He said before his face dropped into a serious tone. "Just because you or I never noticed does not mean that nobody else has had suspicions. Although it would make sense of a lot of dilemmas I've been experiencing as of late." He said, tapping his chin once more before beginning to pace in the room. Before Gibbs could open his mouth to reply, Jack waved his hands in front of him, signaling him to leave. "Ah-ah... go." He said in a punishing tone.

The moment Gibbs closed the door behind him, Jack re-locked the cabin door and crossed the threshold over to where his cabin boy slept. Her facial hair had been removed, as was her wig and the remainder of her clothing. Jack had to admit, for a woman so beautiful, she played the part of a lad surprisingly well. He reached out, removing a chocolate ringlet from her neck and allowing it to settle upon the pillow cushioning her head. Curious... how could a woman fit that bed of curls under that small wig? The magics of fashion never concerned him until now, it seemed.

Holding his hands up for a moment in mid-air, he paused and looked about as though there could be anyone watching before he inconspicuously reached out and pulled the covers up to see just what exactly she had been hiding all this time from his womanizing eyes. His eyes widened somewhat and a grin twisted upon his lips. He became so busy ogling her that he hadn't noticed she had opened her lids to reveal those pretty blue hues. As blue as the sea, he mused to himself absentmindedly.

"Captain?" Immediately, he yelped and tossed the blanket back over her torso in shock. He noted her face of confusion and removed his hands from over his mouth, smoothing his mustache."What were you doing?"

"Studying your wound, young missy." He retorted, placing his hands upon his hips, acting oh-so-honorable. He cleared his throat and took up the chair beside the bed, settling his feet upon the mattress and being sure to miss her body. "So... what's yer _real_ name... eh?" He asked, tossing his eyebrows up before allowing them to settle again. The look of shame that coated her face caught him off guard. She had been so hell-bent on pretending to be someone she wasn't. He could already tell... she'd lost herself.

"Annabelle-Lee Gotha." She replied solemnly.

"Ah, the Gotha sisters, aye? Had I known I was ferrying royalty all this time, I would've given you a... better welcome, dearie." He said almost too cheerily. Anna gave him an odd look and shook her head. Jack held up his hands in the form of prayer. "Apologies, love. I'm just... astonished."

"How so?" She asked curiously.

"At two things: one, that you don't carry yourself at all like royalty and two: because I didn't know a lovely young woman was working for me this entire time." This caused Annabelle to blush deeply, tugging the blanket up more to cover her body, which Jack had gotten a very good look at before she had awoken. Yep... he was daft for thinking she was a lad. She hid her frame very well beneath those baggy clothes.

"What are we going to do about this, Captain? I can't go back to Port Royal, there's nothing for me there, anymore." She pleaded. It was at that time that Jack had received a brilliant idea. Something that even he wasn't willing to pass up.

"Well, love. I could keep this a secret for you, if you still want that." It could definitely be fun, he mused. Secrets were always fun, so long as the other party was willing to participate.

"You would?" She asked, perplexed.

"Of course. What kind of a captain would I be if I did not protect me crew, aye?"

"I... I suppose." She eyed him skeptically for a moment. "What's the catch?"

"Well... as captain... I do get awfully lonely--"

"Jack, I'm not--"

"I'm not asking you to do _that_, love. Though I wouldn't protest if you wanted to put it on the table. However, I will require a payment of some kind." He reasoned.

"What kind of payment?"

"Kisses." He replied simply. Anna's jaw dropped and she rolled her eyes.

"Kisses?" She paused, then shook her head. "No. No, that's ridiculous!" She hissed at him, attempting to sit up, though she grunted in pain and immediately fell back onto the bed.

"Well, then, I may not be able to hold my tongue. This is the whole point of a bargain, love. You have something at stake and so do I, so we trade. I keep your secret and you... give me kisses. Lucky for you, I'm not a greedy pirate. Well... I am, but that aside, the deal shall be kisses only. Unless, by my happy luck, you want to move forward with it." She gave him a glare. "Kisses, love. That's it." He arose from his seat finally. "We'll be making port so we can get you better. You can either reveal yourself as a sham, or you can take my offer. You think about that, dearie." He said before making his way for the door.

"Wait!" She exclaimed. Jack paused, then turned to her. "If I agree to what you offer... will you go get my sister for me? But don't say anything about her or I being girls?" She asked. Jack thought for a moment, then nodded curtly.

"Aye, love. Your secret will be safe with me." He assured her. She paused a moment, then nodded slowly.

"Alright. Agreed." She said, though was surprised to find Mister Sparrow sauntering over to sit next to her on the bed. "What?"

"Seal it with a kiss, love. I need me trail before I can get you your treasure." He coaxed, reaching up to touch her cheek gently. Anna trembled in fright before she nodded once more, hardly noticing that Jack was inching his face closer to hers until he captured her lips with his own. She felt his fingers threading into her chestnut locks, tugging gently. Her eyes fluttered to a close and she reached up, placing her hands over his cheeks while he slanted his mouth more over hers, suddenly delving his tongue in to battle her own. Nervous and shaking all over, she thrust her tongue back into his mouth, running it along the roof of his mouth, enjoying the taste of him. He'd obviously had a bottle of rum as of late. She was already getting drunk off the taste of him.

Before she knew it, he had pulled back, grinning almost wickedly. "I'll be back wiv your sister." He said finally, untying his fingers from her hair and leaving without another word, leaving Annabelle-Lee to think about what just happened and how her life seemed to go from miserable to much, much worse.

* * *

"Adam!" Jack called out to Helena, catching her attention. Her head shot up and she cast an eye in his direction. He motioned her over, she obliged, walking over to where he stood. "Come with me." He snapped curtly, making her worry the entire journey into his cabin. However, the moment she'd taken a look at her sister, she dashed to her side, taking her hand up in her own and kissing it gently.

"Sis--I mean... Thomas?" She began, though she stopped when Anna shook her head.

"Don't worry, he obviously knows, sister." She assured her, causing Helena to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I will be once we reach port..." she began, though she stole a glance to Jack and nodded to him. "Captain... would you mind... giving us a moment?" She asked.

"Aye. I'm accustomed to ladies asking me to leave so they may divulge and brag about how magnificent I am. No worries." He said with a sly grin before exiting the cabin, locking it from the outside.

"What was that all about?" Helena asked. Anna shook her head.

"'Lena, I think I just made the worst deal of my life."


End file.
